Wichita eagle., 1887-04-08
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ala1l1l 80 5anIe
A TALE OF QUEUE TORTUE.

hio"h IN Louisiana as the Attakapas
eoantly lies the little prairie of Queue Tortue,
or Turtles Tail. It's inhabitants are the de-
scendanfs OF the original Acadian settlers,
ana Tor over century past they have kept
almost entirely 70 themselves, marrying and
nter1naITy-inG, so that every resident there is
reiated to everybody else in the prairie They
nave decided distaste for anything that
tends toward progress, and the habits and
manners of their fathers are followed as
piouSly as are the instructions of their priest
Simple hearted, gay, and imbued with all the
esprit OF their French ancestors. they are
probably as content people as can be found
on either side the Atlantic Raising cattle,
filing some cotton, and loving their families,
they entertain but little regard for what is
transpiring il the great world beyond the
boundaries of Queue Tortue. Their wants
are but few, End with enough coffee, tobacco
and corn, they live contentedly TO a ripe old
age. Strong in their affections, family ties
are held il reverence, and fourth cousin
receives as hearty a welcome at their simple
homes as q brother or near relative They
are, however, exceedingly shy OF strangers,
and IL requires 4 long residence in that local
ity TO secure even the faintest approach of
intimacy with them.
Near the center Of the prairie, in a plain
cottage Of four ROOMS, the POnpon family
lived in that bucoGc simplicity which had
giver such longevity TO their ancestors To
the observer il VIII be seen that the Same
strings Of red peppers were hanging from the
raitcrs that were picked in the fortics, and
the same little black coffeopot was resting be
side the hearth ont Of which their grandsire
Pierre Alcioiade Pcnpon had taken his
morning cup. There could be no question
about the furniture, for all Of it, save one
modern uedsteaj pUrcha5- n il later times for
the girls, was Of SO primitive It type it was
oven clCCUent OF its antiquity At one end
OF the gallery an Anticipated hand-loom told
where the family nanl,in cottenade came
from, ana a collection Of empty sardine boxes
under The house suggested newly acquired
tastes not entirely in keeping with the primi-
tive character Of the aforementioned LOOM
Four yellow haired dogs dozad languidly in
The afternoon sunshine on the bare patch Of
earth IN front Of the Gomicilc, now and then
mastering IIp sufficient energy to so through
sort Of banjo picking, Migratory movement
with the left hind leg, as they sought to re-
move the predatory flea
Beyond, the swe.ls Of the prairie went roll
ing away il the distance Ike great pillows of
green, with here and there knots of cattle like
Eits of seaWeed ahoat on the surface Still
beyond, sly and grass met where it appeared
The world ended Sliirtings OF cypress in
some directions told OF mcaudering bayous
and once in awhile a thin column Of smoke
indicated! the position OF the nearest HOUSES
some four or 1ye miles away.
it was q bright October afternoon and the
ar vas fragrant with the odor Of the rpen-
ing grasses and flowers Of the prairie Great
white clouds il broken outline lay along the
horizon Ike mountain ranges, the sides of
which were riven by georges ana canyons of
shadow. j crew Of uomadic white cranes
were pluning themselves ut Il water hole
about q quarter OF q mile away. while above
seeking lie shelter Of the far-off sea marsh
wisps OF blue winged teal were scudding be-
fore iha FIRST north winds of the autumn.
Tied 20 emma tree near the PonpOn dwelling,
vita dropping head and eyes half closed,
stood small Creole pony, as uncanny a look
ing quaurupei as q Eorsenan could well
imagine y rough saddle with beavy wooden
srrrups, 4 raWhide bride with strong curb
bit and a saddle blanket made of moss, were
the only ornaments of the little beast Di-
minutiye a. WAS the animal, it was evident
from tie length of the stirrup straps that his
rider was quite a tail individual. Such a
ated by glance into the front ROOM which
served at once as parlor, bed chamber and
sitting room. There on low, straight
backed, oak chair Of raHvhide bottom, sat a
young man Of about .. his face bronzed by
exposure, and bis long boots bespattered with
mud. Standing IN those sane boots the wiry
cavalier would have measured something like
SIX feet two inches. His features showed that
i'll
in the uaishLorb0od as "Rrsieu Eareese," 2
slight variation on his patronymic, Harris
Some eighteen months before the afternoon
referred 20 BE- had purchased 4 tract OF land
in the prairie, aud on it had opened stock
farm on q small scale. He was industrious,
genial and frank. 50 that after a period Of
probation he was greeted by the residents
thereaJOuts with something like cordially
His little ranch, as he liked to call it, was
about five miles AWAY from the Ponpon resi-
dencg, aaa ou TINS occasion he had galloped
across The prairie and ridden directly into
what would have bean the front yard of that
family, had there been any fences around the
place
There was something in his face that be-
tokonol un:.zu2I oarpestness, and when he
wanted ont OF the saddle and, hat in hand,
inquired Of the young lady in a guinea blue
gabrielle, on the gallery, if her brother was
ar bCon, he surprised THAT black-eyed demoi-
seiia very mach 10y his manner.
She happened 10 he the only person at
homc, for her widowed mother had that day
ridden to Grand Coteau TO confession, and
thu brother YVES out looking after stray
yea:lipr. Alo-ino Horpon was the elder Of
two sisters. The Younger. Seraphine, had
Soma iAva --ovrs Iuf,,-f laif tha raroutal homo
with a gallant Young husband. and was now
comfortably sc.t.ed over It Coulee Croche
This marriage Of The more youthful sister
had been q severe blow to Aiosine for she
had always been led 10 believe that suffers
were bound to take the elder daughter first
Tho bridal party. mounted on their little
creo'2 tackles, and followed by wagon Of
household goods, had hardly disappeared be-
hind q knoll in the prairie than she burst into
a passion Of tears and refused TO be COM
forta} From that day she formed a rcsolu-
ton that if she died an old maid it would not
be her fault. She was perhaps, s. little too
rail and angular TO attract many of the fas-
tjlicl,s Young men. and her uEdiS~uised
efforts to capture a gallant were perhaps 100
rlnca Tor the say beaux of the prairie. Be
fins rs II NAV. few ever stopped at the house
lo,~er than time enough to water their horses
n. take . cup OF coffee. except. perhaps,
A1,sl, Harris lie had been over often, and
had spent whole afternoons with her brotser
talk;ocy over stock matters and the improve
rnent of grasses.
Al0sine had nurtured a warm sentiment
Cor Tho yc,ln- man, and when be was in the
house invariably managed 10 be IL the same
room. She thought she saw signs OF recipro-
! -fr..~ L.,